Border Patrol Agents Discover Meth, Cocaine in Gas Tank

Salton City, California - El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Indio Station arrested a man suspected of drug smuggling at the Highway 86 checkpoint after they discovered packages of cocaine and methamphetamine hidden in the fuel tank of the vehicle on Wednesday.

The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 a.m., when a 22-year-old man approached the checkpoint driving a white Ford Explorer.

A Border Patrol detection canine alerted to the vehicle. Agents referred the man to the secondary inspection area for a closer examination. After an intensive search, agents discovered 10 vacuum sealed bundles of cocaine and eight bundles of methamphetamine hidden in the vehicle’s fuel tank.

The methamphetamine had a combined weight of 14.58 pounds with an estimated street value of $145,800. The cocaine weighed 25.36 pounds and had an estimated street value of $405,760.

The man, a Mexican citizen, the vehicle, and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.